snow is gone by my house. it depends if you got the snow by christmas eve. the temperatures were mild overnight. most areas are starting off above the freezing mark. hovering close to the freezing mark. be careful for any isolated black ice. highs in the upper 30's to the low 40's. >> it is good the temperatures are where they are. the roads are wet. 55 on the west side. 70 moving in from 29, no problems. very light volume at this hour.

sheen on thethe mac roads. the j.f.x. in great shape. this is 95 at the fort mchenry. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> today marks the beginning of a new era for maryland casinos. the casino will open today and will never close again. this is part of the gambling expansion in maryland. live table games are expected to hit the floors some time next month. that brings us to our water cooler question of the day. will you be more likely to visit late marilyn casino now that some are open 24/7?

you can share your response on wbaltv.com, on our facebook page, or send us an e-mail to watercooler@wbaltv.com. >> folks around the state are cleaning up from wednesday's winter storm. five people were inside a home when a tree crashed through the roof. nobody was hurt. one person was playing his xbox when he felt the home shape. >> you heard a big noise. i thought it was an earthquake. >> success for b.g.e. which is reporting 140 outages. crews were out on the road to prepare to remove down trees and to restore power knocked out by

winds or ice. report all outages to the number on your screen. >> many holiday travelers are hoping to date will be better after being stranded in baltimore on wednesday. b.w.i. airport was running 1-2 hours late because of icy conditions and strong wind gusts. >>ice melt, salt. i'm looking for it to freeze tonight. >> we will take a closer look in the next half-hour. lawmakers cannot afford to spend anymore time worrying about the weather. >> all eyes will be on the senate after house republicans

said it is up to their leaders to reach a deal. danielle leigh has more. >> as president obama leaves hawaii for washington, tension on capitol hill is on high. >> i don't see how you could handle a large plant involving tax reform in a matter of days. >> serious doubt is setting in. even starbucks is getting involved. john boehner said he is sitting this round out. >> i think that john boehner is being controlled unfortunately by the right wing pickwick that leaves it up to harry reid and the rest of the senate to find a solution. the plan would avoid tax increases and would eliminate some big spending cuts and restore unemployment benefits. >> you are likely to see a two-

step process. >> without a deal, bush era tax cuts will expire on january 1. congress set up the deadline hoping it would force a compromise. so far that has a compromise in. also flyback will be brian schatz. he will be replacing daniel inouye and will likely be sworn in later today. danielle leigh, wbal-tv 11 news. >> with the new year comes new state laws. >> kim dacey has more on what to expect. >> on tuesday, a dozen new state laws will go into effect. some were highly discuss. one allows gay couples to marry as of january 1.

baltimore city elections will now be held in the same cycle as the presidential elections. for veterans, the department of veterans affairs will be required to give out something of their status. another new law will make it easier to protect kids and disabled -- a parent or guardian can freeze their credit report. advocates say they hope will protect foster children. >> we are hoping that the credit bureaus and the department of human resources will be able to get to some data sharing so they can freeze them or stall them as well as help them to get access to their credit report. >> maryland is the first state to pass bill law allowing minors the ability to freeze their credit reports. kim dacey, wbal-tv 11 news. >> 37 degrees at 5:06.

a petition growing against a church group. >> george h.w. bush takes a turn for the worse. >> this is a live picture on the west side. it looks pretty good here.

>> welcome back to 11 news today. 5:09. 41 degrees downtown. a few clouds in the sky.

the precipitation has ended downtown. temperatures are above the freezing mark. that keeps the roads from freezing. some areas could be dealing with some black dice. the cold spots and the bridges and the overpasses could see some ice today. anyone south, this is mostly wet weather. more coming up in the forecast. >> the health of george h.w. bush continues to deteriorate. mr. bush has been moved to the intensive care unit at a houston hospital. he has been hospitalized for more than a month with

bronchitis. doctors say he is now in guarded condition and the medical staff remains cautiously optimistic. residents are remembering a pair of fire fighters that were killed in a christmas eve and bush. police say a man said his house on fire and then opened fire on the first responders. >> thousands of people are asking a church to be labeled day he'd gate group. the petition can be found on the white house website. they have targeted military families. this is the most supported petition ever on the white house website.

5:11. movie studios are on track to break annual revenue records. >> are you a repeat shopper? visiting the same store could save you more. >> we will see how the roads are doing as you go back to work todayc1

>> now insta-weather plus and traffic pulse 11 together. >> good morning. not the ideal setup for your

morning commute. we are dealing with wet roads. 55 on the north side. a clear shot on 70 in towards the beltway. on the north side at york road, the roads are still wet not dealing with any delays in that area. a live picture of the northwest corner of the beltway and moving without delay down towards edmondson. up to speak at the fort mchenry toll plaza. area bridges in great shape at this hour. we will keep you posted on any problems. dave allen has a check on the mta. >> the number 19 is diverting. the number 10 bus diverting at

lombard. no delays on the buses, marc trains. the penn, camden, and brunswick lines is on schedule. dress warmly this morning. that is dit. here is ava marie. >> yesterday storm is tracking at the northeast coast. a couple of sprinkles moving through delaware and impacting the lower eastern shore. nothing to worry about. we have some snow in pennsylvania. more rain and snow tracking into philadelphia. there could be some problems on the roads. the roads are still wet.

view of the wider radar. it continues to move off the coast. heavy snow falling in upstate new york and into maine. temperatures are much better than what it could be. we are mostly above the freezing mark. 37 at the airport. we are close to the freezing mark. i would worry about the northern areas near the pennsylvania line for bloack ice. the gusts possibly up to 45 miles per hour today. that could possibly bring down some tree limbs. high temperatures will basically

now.ver they are we drop down into the 20's tonight. things will be quiet on friday. another storm system is moving in. we could start out with snow and change over to rain. >> holiday blockbusters could make this year the most profitable on record for hollywood. strong christmas openings will help set movie studios in new record. they are expected to rake in over $10 billion in sales. you could pay for all the web

surfing you do at the office in more ways than one. dynamic pricing. >> the more you look at an item online, the more likely the price will go up. >> dynamic pricing is pricing things differently to different people at different times for the same product. >> it is unfair to shoppers. >> the store have been discriminatory pricing. i have been looking at this item for three days in a row and when i falling make my decision, it is more expensive. >> that is because you leave a trail.

your name may be private but your computer i.d. is not. >> these cookies collect information on where you have shopped and what you bought. they might set your price higher. >> they will look at the probability that you will buy given your previous behavior. >> use multiple computers and multiple accounts. do not reveal your behavior if you want to be anonymous. >> toyota is saddling a class action lawsuit. lawmakers gear up to tackle the fiscal cliff on capitol hill. >> the fiscal cliff deadline is inching closer.

the aviation industry is not worried. they say they will not face immediate destruction. the defense industry urging congress to shift its attention from the cuts than to fighting over taxes. if the cuts take effect, many jobs would be lost. starbucks taking a stand on the cliff. asking customers to write "come together" on cups. toyota will take a $1.1 billion charge to settle a lawsuit that has to do with more than 10 million vehicles because of unintended acceleration.

good news for the housing market. homes i use will rise as much as 2.5% nationwide. they expect 2013 to be a seller's market. the best places to buy include cleveland and philadelphia. i'm ellen braitman with the bloomberg business report. >> 5:22. support pours into newtown, connecticut. a memorial that includes every gift and a letter. don't forget to e-mail us your response to our water cooler question of the day. will you be more likely to visit a maryland casino now that some are open 24/7? you can share your response at wbaltv.com and on our facebook page, or send us an e-mail to watercooler@wbaltv.com.

>> we near the two-week mark of the shootings in newtown. >> the residence have a plan for a permanent memorial. >> it is overflowing. they stopped to drop off flowers on the way to visiting family in massachusetts. >> we wanted to pay tribute in this tragic event. >> he is called the sidewalks

home. he understands the importance of these memorials. he lost a loved one on 9/11. now they are making preparations with what to do with all the mementos. there will be a future permanent memorial. >> we will turn everything into the soil that is biodegradable. >> a phone message to residents that this will be sacred soil, visions for a better future and promises to remember the ones attack.the said attad the priest them joy to know that kindness from others will live on -- it brings them joy to know

that kindness from others will live on. >> 37 degrees at the airport. the warning to stay off the roads this morning. >> 95 in the white marsh area looks pretty good. some problems that the bay bridge. >> 2013 will usher in some new laws. >> lawmakers returning today to tackle the fiscal cliff are being faced with another deadline. >> sprinkles overnight are moving off to the east but t

>> you're watching wbal-tv 11. live, local, late-breaking. this is 11 news today at 5:00 a.m. >> good morning. welcome back to 11 news today. i am jennifer franciotti. >> i am sarah caldwell. thanks for joining us for 11 news today. >> the wind is increasing behind the storm. all the melting snow has the roads completely wet. imagine if we were at the freezing mark. we are lucky the temperatures are above freezing. we are close to the freezing mark at sykesville. downtown, 41. we expect the temperatures to hold steady throughout the day. >> that is good news.

we noticed more traffic this morning. >> today and tomorrow and next week is new year's. wind warnings are in effect at the bay bridge. prepare for a little bit of extra time. 55 on 295. the entire beltway is up to speed. southbound traffic is a little heavier down towards the capital beltway. 65 on the harrisburg expressway. 48 on the j.f.x. this is the beltway near security boulevard. take a look at the roads. be prepared for some extra time this morning.

that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> temperatures stayed above freezing overnight. be careful on the roads this morning. many roadways could still be slippery. >> proceed with caution and allow yourself extra time for travel. some roadways could be slippery. >> a number of accidents west of baltimore and into the mountains. there could be fog in some spots this morning. a car crash left a boy in critical condition. we're told lisa middledorf was driving in odenton when she hit a parked tow trucks. the boy suffered severe head trauma.

alcohol was a contributing factor as well as fatigue. >> lawmakers are returning today hoping to avoid going over the fiscal cliff. they have five days to do it. >> hallie jackson joins us live with more on that. >> the other deadline has to do with the debt ceiling. the treasury is making moves. otherwise we have the debt limit on monday. that is the last day of fiscal cliff talks. the president departed hawaii to return to washington where it is not just the temperature that is chillier. talks cooled over the holidays over how to avoid the massive

tax hikes. >> taxes are going to go up no matter what. they go up a lot more and that is where the political hit comes. >> house republicans point the finger at the other chamber saying the senate must act on a bill to avoid the fiscal cliff. the gop is blamed for the holdup. no further legislation can move unless republicans drop their knee-jerk obstruction. the mayfield gradual at first, except on wall street. >> the reaction of the financial markets and the stock markets. you could see something quick. >> a top ceo is hoping to jolts them into action. >> i am maintaining my optimism that we will see the

republicans and administration come together and do what is right for the country. >> starbucks its in its message that our players in washington and take me out an ad featuring a quotation from lincoln. will it work? we will see. >> hallie jackson, thank you. >> kim dacey is live on what you need to know. >> about a dozen state laws will go into effect next tuesday. we have highlighted just a few. with any new year comes new opportunities and of course new laws. after a battle, gay couples will be able to say "i do" on january 1. another new law changes the

election cycle. they will be held on the same cycle as presidential elections. the department of veterans affairs will be required to give veterans something to prove their status. a new law will make easier to protect kids and disabled adults from identity theft. the patient or party now has the right to freeze their credit report. >> dthey have the right to freeze it? >> i hope it will help foster children. >> we are hoping that the credit bureaus and the department of human resources will be able to get to some data sharing so they can freeze them or stall them as well as help them to get access to their credit report. >> maryland is the first day to allow minors to be able to freeze their credit reports.

kim dacey, wbal-tv 11 news. >> thank you. 37 degrees on tv hill. the holiday treat with a healthy kick. walnuts. >> don't forget to e-mail us your response to our water cooler question of the day. will you be more likely to visit a maryland casino now that some are open 24/7? you can share your response on wbaltv.com, on our facebook page, or send us an e-mail to watercooler@wbaltv.com. >> this is a live picture of the west side at baltimore national pike.

>> welcome back to 11 news today. 5:39. 41 degrees downtown. we have dry conditions above the city but the roads are still wet. north and west of the city, you could encounter some ice. only near 40 degrees for the high temperatures today. southern pennsylvania will be in the mid 40'. we have some light flurries passing through pennsylvania. most of the state will dry out into the afternoon. watch out for strong winds on the backside of the storm. >> it turns out babies may be proof that if we set up we think

better. >> they examine the learning patterns of babies. the older babies that could sit up on their own were able to grab things. doctors say babies who are not encouraged to set up may miss out on opportunities to learn. have you been trying to avoid the nut bins? >> they are everywhere. it is ok to dig in. walnuts have been linked to a lower level of cancer and they can boost the immune system. >> 5:41. plenty of frustration after yesterday's winter storm. >> ava has your full forecast

when we come back.

>> now insta-weather plus and traffic pulse 11 together. >> a smooth ride for the moment. watch for wet roads. we have wind warnings at the bay bridge. up to speed on southbound 295. problem free on 95 through howard county. 70 at 29 running smoothly in towards the beltway. you can see the roads are wet. 65 on the harrisburg expressway at mount carmel.

55 from the 895 split down to the fort mchenry. a smooth ride at franklin boulevard. southbound traffic moving without delay. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. dave allen has more on the buses and trains. >> the number 51 bus is now diverting. we have a women break diverting the number 19 bus. the number 10 bus is diverting at lombard and schroeder. light rail and metro subway all running on schedule. a special s holiday schedule. the 201 will run on a weekend

schedule. i'm dave allen. >> thank you. the roads are mostly wet today. a couple of sprinkles on the radar. they are passing on the eastern shore over to delaware. some light flurries through southern pennsylvania and passing over 83. a few snowflakes up to our north and a few snowflakes may move back into carroll county. -- garrett county. this mix will continue to track into boston and in two maine. this will cause some travel delays into new york city. heavy snow into upstate new

york. the temperatures are the saving grace this morning. 34 in gaithersburg. these are all above the freezing mark. the snow and rain is keeping the roads wheet rather than a sheet of ice. maybe some black ice into southern pennsylvania. the wind will be picking up behind the storm. at 24 miles perting hour at the airport. 21 miles per hour at ocean city. windy across the state today. the temperatures will hold steady. near 40 into the afternoon. milder in ocean city with a

couple of sprinkles, 45. flurries possible for the entire day west of the state. fort mchenry just had their high tide. maybe the tial anomaly could be two feet above normal. it could be windy today. gusts up to 45 miles per hour. 20's out in the suburbs tonight. friday looks parlay sunny. another storm on saturday. >> the winter storm is now

making its way to the northeast. >> plenty of americans are frustrated. we get a closer look at delays facing holiday travelers. >> airports are packed with people trying to get somewhere. today it might not be much better. it is causing a domino effect across the country. one pilot told passengers this -- >> it is beyond approach. i have no words to tell you how sorry i am. >> passengers in atlanta are trying to keep their cool. >> try to make the best of a bad situation. >> try not to be so upset.

>> kidding around on the ground is not much easier. the indiana pacers postponed their game because of severe weather. the dangerous conditions did not stop this motorist. >> the overpasses or a little icy. >> the white christmas was a record breaker. 9 inches of snow fell. >> for anybody stuck in traffic, you know how they feel. 37 degrees at the airport. >> keith mills will have a sports next. >> here is a look at last night's winning maryland lottery numbers. [ male announcer ] the more you lose, the more you lose,

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>> time to get to your answers to our water cooler question of the day. >> this morning we asked, will

you be more likely to visit a maryland casino now that some are open 24/7? [laughter] go, steven. keep sending us those responses . >> did he say buffet? it is the ravens and bengals on sunday. good news for the ravens. sixth ravens earned a trip to the all-star game which we played january 27 in hawaii. the ravens say they do not want to play in the pro ball because that means they will be in the super bowl. ray rice finished second in running backs.

vonta leach helped ray gained so many of his yards and he is headed to was third pro ball. jacoby jones is headed to his first. three times this year he returned kicks for touchdowns. ed reed heading back to hawaii. john hall bought happy for his guys -- john harbaugh happy for his guys. >> when a guy makes it on offense, all the guys feel they're part of it. it is a big deal. >> here is the full list. ray rice, jacoby jones. bernard pollard is a pro bowl

alternate. ray lewis did not make the pro ball but was put on the active roster. in the nba last night. the wizards lose to cleveland. the wizards at home. here's the steel. that is not how you draw it up. unk.guys never missed a d the wizards lose again. they are 3-23. nk.you can du >> a lot of fans. bail for dion

ware. >> a man discovers a wedding ring in a snowdrift. what he wants in return. >> a storm system pulling off to the east. >> we will take a look at your morning commute. so far so good on the west side.